Dear Colleagues:
As part of the budget planning process for Fiscal Year 2008, the NIDCR is identifying topical themes for development into research initiatives. During this process, we welcome input from our scientific advisory boards, the extramural community, interested organizations, and the public at large.
What are initiatives?
Initiatives are a vehicle used by the Institutes and Centers to showcase future research goals to NIH, the Department of Health and Human Services, and Congress. The NIDCR begins the initiative development process each year by identifying broad research topic areas, or themes. We then develop a specific initiative proposal for each theme, taking into consideration the input received. The themes we have identified for FY 2008 are listed below.
It is important to remember that initiatives are not a complete picture of the Institute’s planned portfolio of supported work for the year indicated, nor do they signal that themes highlighted the previous year have been abandoned. When identifying themes for consideration as funding initiatives, NIDCR considers many factors, including: scientific opportunity, alignment with the mission and goals of the Institute’s strategic plans, and robustness of the existing portfolio in a particular theme area both currently and in the year under consideration.
What kind of input is NIDCR seeking?
We invite you to review the topic areas, or themes, listed below and send us your suggestions and comments. For example, what are the important research questions and opportunities within the topic areas? What are the potentially fruitful lines of research that could be pursued for a particular topic area? Are there other important topics you think we should consider?
How can you provide input?
For each research theme proposed for FY 2008, NIDCR has assigned one or more staff members to oversee the development of initiatives for the theme. The themes and staff leaders are listed below. Please send your comments and suggestions for specific theme areas directly to them. If you want to suggest additional topic areas, or comment on the process for developing research initiatives, contact Dr. Isabel Garcia Isabel.Garcia@nih.gov. Please submit all comments no later than Wednesday, May 3, 2006. Thank you for your interest and input.
Proposed NIDCR FY 2008 Research Themes (alphabetical by title)
Dental Composites
Bisphenol A (BPA) based resins have been used in dentistry for the last forty years. If current trends continue, composite restorations will become the material of choice for both anterior and posterior cavity restoration. The pharmacokinetics of BPA in humans has not been completely described. Research under this theme would encourage epidemiological studies to examine potential adverse health effects of dental composites, with a focus on assessing associations between the magnitude of exposure to composite restorations and specific endocrine system outcomes. Lead/contact: Al Kingman albert.kingman@nih.gov
Oral Health Disparities Centers-- Competitive Renewal
This theme proposes a competitive renewal of the Centers for Research to Reduce Oral Health Disparities - a focal point of NIDCR’s health disparities research program. The renewal would be open to new applicants as well as to the five currently funded Centers. Centers would focus their efforts on clearly defined vulnerable populations, have strong partnerships within communities, demonstrate established interdisciplinary teams of investigators, and have a focus on and institutional support for conducting a wide spectrum of research within vulnerable populations. Lead/contact: Ruth Nowjack-Raymer ruth.nowjack-raymer@nih.gov
Oral Mucosal Vaccination Against HIV Infection
The oral mucosal route for vaccine delivery to achieve local and systemic protection against HIV infection is largely unexplored. The majority of infections associated with HIV disease are initiated at mucosal surfaces, occurring as a result of the adherence to and passage of the pathogens across mucosal membranes. An initiative around this theme could harness mucosal immune responses in order to facilitate the development of effective HIV vaccines that utilize the oral and nasopharyngeal mucosal tissues as the route of inoculation, further developing already characterized target vaccine antigens and formulations, target validation and early preclinical evaluation in relevant animal models. Lead/contact: Mostafa Nokta mostafa.nokta@nih.gov
Osteoimmunology-Crosstalk Between Immune System and Bone
An initiative on this theme would characterize the intersystem crosstalk between oral bone and the immune system and contribute to our understanding of how both systems are regulated at molecular, cellular, and organ systems levels. The research would identify topics such as: the influence of the immune system on oral bone biology; the extent to which normal immune responses affect oral bone homeostasis; the consequences of oral bone metabolism to adaptive immune responses; how the interplay between the immune system and oral bone changes with age; and the changes in the host immune system that impact oral bone loss. . This emerging field will be increasingly important not only in formulating future strategy for periodontitis but also for clinical and basic studies in all the related fields. Leads/contacts: Sangeeta Bhargava; Lillian Shum lillian.shum@nih.gov
SBIR Pilot Program to Fast-Track Translational Research
There are many oral health challenges ripe for aggressive research and development. This research theme would encourage research via the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program on research topics with near-term product potential. Possible science areas include: combination therapeutics for control of oral microbes, molecular diagnosis for head and neck cancer, and virtual reality and gaming approaches to improve health literacy. Lead/contact: Rosemarie Hunziker
Systems Biology Approach to Salivary Gland Physiology
An initiative around this theme would encourage a systems biology approach to inform, as well as predict, salivary gland functions and dysfunctions. It would couple experimentation and computation to generate an integrated salivary gland secretory network model that will stimulate research in topics such as: 1) the simulation of molecular interactions and physiological processes in a virtual salivary gland secretory network model, 2) quantitative assays of these interactions under normal steady state experimental conditions, 3) genetic or chemical manipulation of the components and quantitative assay of their interactions at the perturbed state, 4) feed-forward of the empirical data to the network model for iterative refinement of the interactions, 5) identification and characterization of new components and interactions based on repeated iterations, and 6) application of the model to predict salivary gland functions, dysfunctions and responses to treatment of salivary gland disorders. Leads/contacts: Lillian Shum lillian.shum@nih.gov; Sangeeta Bhargava
Translational Application of Gene Silencing to Oral and Craniofacial Diseases and Disorders
An initiative around this theme would encourage investigators to apply RNAi strategies to the treatment and prevention of oral and craniofacial disorders and diseases states. Most research areas within the mission of NIDCR would benefit from the application of RNAi strategies, including bone disorders, chronic inflammatory conditions, viral infections, autoimmune disorders, oral cancer, and craniofacial birth defects. A broad funding opportunity could encourage a larger pool of investigators to apply their talents to oral/craniofacial studies; alternatively, awards could be offered to encourage comparison of gene silencing and mouse knockout approaches. The accessibility of the oral cavity to RNAi delivery makes it an attractive target for gene silencing strategies. Leads/contacts: Rochelle Small rochelle.small@nih.gov; Yasaman Shirazi yasamin.shirazi@nih.gov; Lillian Shum lillian.shum@nih.gov.